Dr. George Metz, Dean School of Education
Dr. Melanie G. Reynolds-Murphy, Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education
Executive Administrative Assistant to the Dean and the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education

The Offices of the Dean of the School of Education, the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education and the graduate faculty are located in H. C. Wingo Hall.

Vision and Mission

The School of Education has as its vision the preparation and sustained development of candidates who are “called to serve as competent, caring educators committed to student success.” Candidates who are called to the education profession accept the ethical responsibility to practice and model integrity and Christian values in creating safe and effective learning environments for all students. Competent educators learncontinuously and systematically to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions to create and manage supportive learning environments that result in increased student learning. Caring educators who are taught to see the connections between their daily work and Christian faith serve sensitively and effectively in their roles as educators. They intentionally view their lives as a form of Christian service and strive to provide the best environments to meet the diverse needs of all students and the broader educational community. Educators who are committed to student success are advocates for children— learning, leading and serving in ways that support the entire educational community in its pursuit of quality education and increased learning for all.

The primary mission of the School of Education is to prepare professional educators who, guided by a strong sense of community and the integration of their faith, are academically strong, pedagogically skilled, and morally committed to educating in a wide range of culturally diverse learning environments. We strive to be a School of Education where faculty, staff and students are engaged in significant collaborative work and ongoing involvement and service in the public schools to improve education. We seek to inspire educators to value learning as well as the learner as they serve as teachers and leaders in culturally diverse learning environments. We encourage candidates to see the connections between their daily work and Christian faith so that they will not only have the content knowledge, skills and dispositions that they need to be successful in a career but also they will be able to view their whole lives as a form of ministry. The SOE mission is reinforced professional education courses, clinical settings, content specialty courses and other extracurricular candidate experiences. Our mission is fulfilled through our three graduate programs: Master of Elementary Education, Master of Education in Elementary Administration and Supervision and Master of Education in Secondary Administration and Supervision.

Admission Policies and Procedures Applicable to all Graduate Education Programs

Levels of Instruction

Most graduate courses are numbered at the 600 level.

Some graduate/undergraduate courses are numbered at the 500 level. Graduate students must perform at a substantially higher level to receive graduate credits. This higher performance will normally involve advanced rigor in application and research activities representative of advanced standards and approved and supervised by the faculty member concerned. Special examination procedures will be employed for graduate students enrolled in such courses.

A candidate may not receive graduate credit for a 500 level course if he/she has taken the course as an undergraduate.

At least half of the courses counted toward the degree must be earned at the 600 level or higher.

Undergraduate (300 and 400) level courses may be required of students with a deficiency of background. Such courses cannot be counted toward the master’s degree.

Additional Online Course Fees

No additional charges such as lab, proctoring or technology fees are associated with graduate education online courses.

Each applicant for admission, except the non-degree student, must file with Graduate Admissions a complete dossier consisting of the following:

Submit completed application packet to the Office of Enrollment Services

An application fee (nonrefundable) must accompany the application

Submit supporting documents: Baccalaureate degree from an institution approved by a regional accrediting agency and a valid SC Teaching Certificate

Provide two professional letters of recommendation from current or former supervisors

Present a score of 290 (combined score on verbal and quantitative sections) on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or 343 Miller Analogy Exam (MAT).

Provide proof of GPA of at least 2.75 for the last two years of undergraduate study, and/or 3.0 GPA of graduate study (if applicable)

Submit official transcripts from ALL institutions where undergraduate and/or graduate courses have been taken. (Official transcripts are those mailed from the school or college directly to the Office of Enrollment Services)

Submit a writing sample with provided topic located in application packet.

Complete a disposition belief survey located in application packet.

Provisional Admission of Graduate Candidates

Admission as a provisional graduate candidate may be granted when the candidate has not met requirements for regular admission prior to the term the candidate desires to begin classes.Provisional Graduate candidates can take no more than nine (9) credit hours.A candidate must gain regular admission into a master’s program before being permitted to continue taking graduate courses.Financial Aid is not available to provisional candidates.

Conditional Acceptance of Graduate Candidates

A candidate who does not meet the minimum admission standards for test scores (GRE or MAT) or whose writing sample and/or disposition belief survey are unacceptable will meet with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education and will be informed of the results. The candidate may be admitted with “conditional” status.

Conditional admission can be given only upon the specific recommendation of the Director of Graduate Studies in Education.

A candidate admitted on a conditional basis must show a GPA of at least 3.5 on the first six (6) semester hours taken. Upon recommendation by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education, the conditional admission will be removed and the student reclassified as a regular admit student. This requirement must be met or the candidate will not be allowed to continue to seek the master’s degree. Financial Aid is not available to students under conditional acceptance.

Non-degree Admission of Graduate Candidates

Admission as a non-degree graduate candidate may be granted when the candidate has a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and meets one of the following:

The candidate does not desire to work toward a graduate degree, or

The candidate is enrolled in another university and desires to obtain credit to be transferred to the graduate school in which he or she is seeking a degree.

Program for Alternative Certification (PACE) candidates are allowed to take up to nine (9) credit hours.Financial Aid is not available to non-degree candidates.

Regulations Governing Nondegree Graduate Candidates: A nondegree candidate must present a transcript showing a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or present a valid teacher’s certificate. Even though a nondegree graduate candidate has been admitted to the University, he or she has not been admitted to any department or to any degree program. No more than twelve (12) credit hours earned while classified as a nondegree graduate candidate at Charleston Southern University will be accepted toward a master’s degree. A candidate must gain formal admission into a masters program before being permitted to continue taking graduate courses. Financial Aid is not available to nondegree students.

International Candidates

Academically qualified candidates from foreign countries are encouraged to apply for admission to Charleston Southern University. Applicants must be sufficiently proficient in English to be able to study entirely in the English language. The following must be sent to the Enrollment Services Office in addition to the admission materials for the graduate program:

Official TOEFL (Students from countries where English is not the primary language will be required to submit a minimum TOEFL score of 550; computer-based score of 213 or internet-based score of 79.)

International Student Eligibility Form

Due to Immigration and Naturalization Service requirements and the necessity of having transcripts evaluated, the deadline for admission applications from International students is one calendar month prior to “registration day” (according to the CSU Academic Calendar) of the academic term of entry. Applications received after the deadline may be considered for a future entry term if the applicant desires. Candidates are required to have their academic transcript(s) evaluated by an outside agency prior to admissions acceptance. All fees for these services are paid by the candidate directly to the party or agency providing them. You may call The Graduate School for more information.

When an applicant has been accepted by the University, a Certificate of Eligibility for the nonimmigrant (F-1) candidate, known as Form I-20 A-B, will be mailed along with an acceptance letter. Candidates entering Charleston Southern University must assume full financial responsibility for tuition and charges incurred.

In the event a candidate is being sponsored by an individual or company, an Affidavit of Support and supporting financial documents must be submitted by the sponsor on behalf of the candidate. After issuance of Form I-20 A-B and prior to the drop/add deadline of the respective term, an advance cash deposit is required to be on file within the business office in the amount of the total cost of the term, including any necessary insurance premium. Otherwise Charleston Southern University reserves the right to deny the candidate attendance for that term.

Transfer Credits

Graduate credits accepted for transfer from other NCATE accredited institutions must be completed within the six year period allowed for a master’s degree. Only coursework completed with a grade of “B” or better will be considered for transfer credit. No coursework evaluated by “pass/fail” grades will be accepted. No professional development courses will be accepted.

A maximum of 6 hours will be accepted for transfer credit from other accredited institutions for those seeking a Master of Education in Elementary or Secondary Education. A maximum of 9 hours will be accepted for transfer credit from other accredited institutions for those seeking a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision.

Courses at Other Institutions

A candidate desiring to take a graduate course at another regionally accredited institution must secure permission to do so in advance from the Coodinator of Graduate Studies in Education.

Candidate Progress

Each candidate admitted to the program is assigned an advisor, meets with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education, and attends an orientation session. Prior to registration, the candidate must obtain his or her advisor’s course approvals. Beginning with the first course of a candidate’s program, each candidate is required to purchase a personal account and participate in Charleston Southern University School of Education’s data management system through course assignments and responsibilities.

Satisfactory Progress

The candidate must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA on courses attempted in both the education/professional core and the special interest/area of specialization courses.

Probation

A candidate must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If the GPA falls below 3.00 it must be raised to the required GPA in the next semester or the candidate will be ineligible to continue in the program. The GPA is calculated only on work at Charleston Southern University. A candidate cannot earn more than one grade below a “B” in their program of study. If a candidate earns more than one grade below a “B” the candidate’s record will be reviewed by his or her advisor and the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Education. The candidate may be required to withdraw from the program.

Any candidate who is ineligible to continue in or withdraws from a program may reapply in an area outside of education. A candidate, who is dropped from or withdraws from a program but wishes to continue taking classes, must state in writing that he or she understands that the work will not be applied toward a degree.

Failing Grades

If an M.Ed. candidate earns a grade of “F” in a graduate course the course must be retaken at Charleston Southern University and passed with a grade of “B” or better before any additional coursework may be attempted in order to continue at CSU.

After earning one “F,” regardless of the GPA, the candidate is notified that he or she is on academic probation and that a subsequent grade of “C” or “F” will result in expulsion from the program.

Grade appeals may be initiated by the student in writing to the School of Education.

Attendance

The candidate is responsible for all course work including electronic submissions and requirements;

The candidate is obligated to attend classes regularly and punctually; consistent with the Graduate School of Education policy, more than 3 absences will result in a grade of “FA” (Failure for Absence) for fall and spring semesters. Maymester and summer session courses will be adjusted accordingly.

The candidate is expected to carry out all assignments promptly

Validation of Credits

All credits earned at Charleston Southern University or accepted by transfer will remain valid if the master’s degree is completed within six (6) calendar years from the time of the candidate’s first course applied toward the degree.

Graduation Requirements

The candidate must have satisfactorily completed all School of Education and university requirements including an an overall 3.00 GPA and a “B” or better in the capstone course. All candidates must apply for graduation in the Office of the Registrar by the deadline dates published in the Academic Calendar.